Chances of an Op-Up AUH-LHR
 

Quick poll of the brain trust on FT....

Flying EY19 on Sunday AUH-LHR and company have booked the ticket on my behalf. Don't normally travel on business usually self funded leisure travel.

Turns out the finance department are stingy and have booked lowest possible class (E) in Economy. I can't modify my booking online - change seat or upgrade - quite frustrating.

What do you all think are my chances of any sort of upgrade to J? I have enough miles and Plat status but E class isn't an upgradable. Even a bump up to extra leg room (40B & 40C still free ATM) would be good.

My normal route is MAN-AUH and have been lucky a couple of times with Op-Ups to J, often I manage to bag a free Extra Legroom / Exit Row seat due to status - sometime it needs the lounge manager to intervene ;) but never flown to or from LHR so an unknown quantity. Checked Expert Flyer and currently both Y and J are nowhere near full - F is all sold out!

Normally I'll arrive at First or Business check-in and smile sweetly and be pleasant and politely ask what my options are; that usually does the trick.

So what are the chances of any sort of upgrade to / from LHR? Best tips or suggestions for a positive result?

Thanks in advance.

Can't give much of a prediction, but Platinum and a Sunday flight could work in your favour; if on business, Sunday is a quiet day, no? However, if Y is no where near full, they're not going to upgrade you - could always try and smile nicely at check-in, but the whole point in op-up is because they have to, not because they want to..!

+1 on what Recondite said but if you are a Plat as stated then ask the ladies in the lounge about at least putting you somewhere with legroom or ahead of the engines.

Just checked and there's 0F 5J and 7Y seats available so you may be lucky or you may be offloaded... :) Best to arrive early and at First class check in enquire about the new 50% upgrades or even if there's a 'Platinum upgrade waitlist'

The flying equivalent of 'nudge nudge wink wink say no more !'

J - 5
C - 5
D - 5
W - 4
Z - 1
Y - 7
B - 7
H - 7
K - 7
M - 7
Q - 7
L - 7
V - 7
U - 7
E - 7
T - 7

This route is probably one of the most platinum heavy routes out there, so you may be competing with people based on the fare basis too. I have seen the LHR flights with 15+ platinums onboard. My regular routes normally have just one or two on board.

Quick update.

Slim to none is the answer. Flight not full enough to get me over the line.

Also disappointed to find couldn’t UG with miles as the amount differs from published amounts and no 50% Plat discount offered. See my “rant” in the relevant thread....

data point for miles from Jan. AUH to LHR U to J will jump to 85,000+ from 52,414 😳

Well, there's a surprise :l

Huge increase, although if Gold still could be a better deal, if you want to risk waiting until the airport to book...

Imagine what the guest seats are going to be as they surely have to be higher than this

Time to burn

Yep ......I've been burning for a while now

Very true! I'll be using the majority of my remaining miles on an Asia - AUH booking in a couple of days.

Think that the JFK flight may have been an absolute steal with the incoming devaluation.